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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. board — to get on
  7. squash — to crush
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. object — to protest
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. squash — the sport
  12. stock — shares
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. tube — the underground
  15. rash — a series
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. stock — goods
  18. rash — hasty
  19. object — a thing
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. object — an aim
  22. tube — a container
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. board — a committee

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com